Kapitans want their shotguns back
LINGAYEN–Though the requirements had been made more stringent, all barangay chairmen in Pangasinan are willing to go through these in order to get back their shotguns issued by the provincial government to them.
This was bared by Provincial Board Member Amado Espino III, president of the Liga ng Barangay provincial federation, who admitted that the licenses of those shotguns have already expired and need to be renewed, thus the reason why the police are still keeping them.
The shotguns were given to all barangay chairmen by the provincial government in 2007 for their protection and of their constituents against criminal elements including cattle rustlers, drug pushers, akyat -bahay gang and hitmen riding-in-tandem.
The 1,330 barangay captains in Pangasinan, except for some barangay captains of Alaminos City, received their respective shotguns in a mass distribution at the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office.
However, they were recalled by the police before the election in 2010 and the shotguns were delivered to the town’s police stations for safekeeping. However, the shotguns were never returned since and the new requirements for permits to own and to carry firearms are now being required of everyone including the barangay captains.
“Most of barangay captains are willing to go through with all the process to be licensed,” Espino said.
The return of the shotguns was among the issues discussed when the convened officials and members of the Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial Federation last Nov. 25 at the Narciso Ramos Civic and Sports Center attended by 42 of the 47 Liga ng mga Barangay City and Municipal Federations.
Espino, former three-termer mayor of Bautista, said he understands the strict requirement and all should follow ” because that is the law.” (LVM)
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